Fuze and sonde coaxial connector

ABSTRACT

1. In combination; an aerodynamically-shaped casing having forward and aft ends, a central bore in said casing extending from said aft to said forward end, a fuze assembly secured in said forward end and having a portion thereof extending into said central bore, a radio sonde assembly secured in said aft end and having a portion thereof extending into said central bore, a coaxial, multichannel connector positioned entirely within said casing and being electrically connected to both of said assemblies, said multichannel connector including a first male portion having an electrically non-conductive base member with oppositely facing surfaces, a central, radially expandable plugin type jack secured to said base member and extending from one of said surfaces, a set of concentric rings secured to said base member and extending from said one surface, terminal means secured to the other of said base member surfaces, and means for individually connecting said jack and each of said rings to said terminal means, and a second female portion including a nonconductive base member having two oppositely facing surfaces, a centrally located receptacle for receiving said jack opening to one of said surfaces, a set of concentric, axially slotted, annular rings secured to said female base member and extending from said one surface, terminal means secured to the other of said female base member surfaces, and means for individually connecting said receptacle and each of said last-named rings to said last-named terminal means, whereby, upon frictional engagement of said jack with said receptacle and each of said rings of said male set with the rings of said female set, a plurality of electrical paths are established between said male terminal means and said female terminal means thereby allowing communication of signals generated by said fuze assembly to said sonde assembly and telemetered therefrom, and upon rotation of said casing about the longitudinal axis thereof, said expandable jack and said rings of said female set are urged radially outward by the centrifugal force of the rotation and into increased frictional contact with said receptacle and said rings of said male set, respectively.

ilnite States Schmidt atent 1 l l FUZE AND SONDE COAXIAL CONNECTOR Louis A. Schmidt, 2404 57th Pl., Hyattsville, Md. 20785 [22] Filed: Oct. 27, 1961 I21] Appl. No.: 148,295

{76] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl ..'.....l02/70.2 R, 324/72, 339/8 P, 339/117 R [51] Int. Cl ..F42b 9/08, HOlr 17/18 [58] Field of Search 102/702; 324/72; 73/167; 339/177, 8

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,098,291 5/1914 Oakes 339/8 P 2.238.319 4/1941 Goldfield 339/177 2,548,457 4/1951 Wilson 339/177 2,728,296 12/1955 Meister 102/70.2 2,962,967 12/1960 Bixby 102/702 2,990,777 7/1961 Garman.... l02/70.2 3,092,028 6/1963 Robinson 102/702 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 9,131 1903 Great Britain 339/177 Primary ExaminerMaynard R. Wilbur Assistant ExaminerG. E. Montone Attorney, Agent, or Firm-R. S. Sciascia; .l. A. Cooke [57] ABSTRACT I. In combination; an aerodynamically-shaped casing having forward and aft ends, a central bore in said cas ing extending from said aft to said forward end, a fuze assembly secured in said forward end and having a portion thereof extending into said central bore, a radio sonde assembly secured in said aft end and having a portion thereof extending into said central bore,

a coaxial, multichannel connector positioned entirely within said casing and being electrically connected to both of said assemblies, said multichannel connector including a first male portion having an electrically non-conductive base member with oppositely facing surfaces, a central, radially expandable plug-in type jack secured to said base member and extending from one of said surfaces, a set of concentric rings secured to said base member and extending from said one surface, terminal means secured to the other of said base member surfaces, and means for individually connecting said jack and each of said rings to said terminal means, and a second female portion including a nonconductive base member having' two oppositely facing surfaces, a centrally located receptacle for receiving said jack opening to one of said surfaces, a set of concentric, axially slotted, annular rings secured to said female base member and extending from said one surface, terminal means secured to the other of said female base member surfaces, and means for individually connecting said receptacle and each of said lastnamed rings to said last-named terminal means, whereby, upon frictional engagement of said jack with said receptacle and each of said rings of said male set with the rings of said female set, a plurality of electrical paths are established between said male terminal means and said female terminal means thereby allowing communication of signals generated by said fuze assembly to said sonde assembly and telemetered therefrom, and upon rotation of said casing about the longitudinal axis thereof, said expandable jack and said rings of said female set are urged radially outward by the centrifugal force of the rotation and into increased frictional contact with said receptacle and said rings of said male set, respectively.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PAH-ME DEC 1 01974 I III! I I IIIIIII L mm m w 9 vm 5 mm mm? NQ I mm INVENTOR.

LOUIS A. SCHMIDT BY g 1/ ATTYS.

FUZE AND SONDE COAXIAL CONNECTOR The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

The subject invention generally relates to fuze testing and relates more particularly to the structural form of a test vehicle which includes a fuze and a radio sonde which are maintained in electrical contact by means of a coaxial connector interposed between the fuze and the sonde within the test vehicle.

Those concerned with the development of fuzes for use with Naval shells and missiles have long recognized the need for an extremely rugged and reliable test vehicle which could be used to test the operating characteristics of new types of fuzes under conditions of actual flight and target approach.

In order to fulfill these test objectives, it has been the practice in the past to employ a test vehicle which has an outer shell portion which is aerodynamically identical to the outer shell of the vehicle in which the fuze is intended to function in its military application. That is, to employ a shell casing or a missile casing which is identical to the casing of the future weapon under consideration. It has further been the practice to incorporate the fuze to be tested into the test vehicle in the forward end thereof and to substitute a radio sonde in place of the explosive which the weapon would normally carry. Since the radio sonde must be located at the aft end of the missile in order to provide a suitable location for the extension of a telemetering aerial, there has long been a problem of how to establish and maintain electrical contact between the fuze and the telemetering sonde. In addition, those concerned with the design of the test vehicle have also been confronted with problems in the assembly and securement of the various components of the fuze and the sonde within the shell. Prior to the instant invention, it was the general practice to electrically connect each component and to place each component into the test vehicle casing, one at a time, and to pot each component and its electrical connections in a suitable potting resin, however, this design produced a relatively unreliable vehicle for a number of reasons. First, the potting compound presented problems in that it was difficult to prepare and store for use at a later time. Secondly, the assembly of the vehicle was necessarily slow and laborious since each component of the system has to be temporarily positioned within the vehicle casing and compressed during the potting process so as to insure a shock proof system upon completion of the assembly process. Thirdly, the forward and aft ends of the vehicle casings were normallyprovided with a screw thread into which the fuze and the radio sonde were threadedly engaged as the final step of the assembly process. Since these elements must be electrically connected to each other and to the intermediate components of the system, the wires forming the electrical connections were often broken due to the twisting of the wires as the fuze and the sonde were screwed into opposite ends of the vehicle casing. This of course resulted in a relatively large number of inoperative vehicles. In addition, it was found that the severe shocks experienced by the vehicle and the components upon launching and flight of the vehicle often produced cracks in the potting compound, fracture of the electrical connections or damage to the components of the system which again made a relatively large number of the vehicles inopera tive for the purpose for which they were intended.

In contrast to the above structure and process of assembly, use of applicants invention eliminates the need for the laborious potting steps and further provides a greatly simplified, more rugged and reliable system than has heretofore been possible.

The general purpose of the subject invention, therefore, is to provide a new and improved fuze test vehicle which embraces all the advantages of the similarly employed prior art vehicles and which posseses none of the aforedescribed disadvantages.

Another object of the subject invention is to provide a new and improved method of assembly of a fuze test vehicle which greatly reduces the number of assembly steps previously required.

A further object of the subject invention is to provide a fuze test vehicle wherein a conventional weapon casing may be used without modification and which further utilizes a unique coaxial connector between the fuze under test and the radio sonde.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved multichannel, coaxial connector suitable for general use.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the subject invention will be readily appreciated as a preferred embodiment'thereof becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures and wherein;

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the test vehicle system partially broken away and showing a portion thereof in cross section;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the male portion of the coaxial connector; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the female portion of the coaxial connector.

Referring now to the drawing on which is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the subject invention, and referring first to FIG. 1 thereof, numeral 11 designates the test vehicle casing which is illustrated as being a conventional Naval shell but which could otherwise be the casing ofa missile. The forward end of casing 11 is shown to be provided with a nose section 12 which is composed ofa material transparent to the signals transmitted and received by antenna section 13 of fuze assembly 14 which further includes an electronic section 15 and a battery section 16. At this point it should be noted that sections 13, 15, and 16 are rigidly connected to each other by means of internal screw threads (not shown) so that the entire fuze assembly 14 constitutes a single one piece unit. It should also be noted that nose section 12, which is generally composed of a rubberized or plastic material, is suitably molded on connector ring 17 which includes an internal radial surface 18 and an internally threaded portion 19. In this manner, flanges 21,22 of electronic section 15 and battery section 16 are respectively clamped between radial surface 18 and end face 23 of fuze sleeve 24 which includes a threaded portion 25, a portion of which is engaged by threads 19 of ring 17. As further shown in FIG. 1, female section 26 of connector assembly 27 is positioned immediately adjacent and in abutting relationship to battery section 16 wherein it is securely held by means of lock ring 28 which is in threaded engagement with threads 29 of fuze sleeve 24.

Referring now to the aft portion of the test vehicle as shown in FIG. 1, numeral 31 designates the radio sonde, the particular details of which are not pertinent to the subject invention but which is generally composed of a transmitting aerial portion 32, a base section 33, a reserve energizer section 34 and an electronic section 35. Sections 33, 34 and 35 are contained within sonde sleeve 36 which may be secured to base section 33 by threaded engagement therewith or by one or more radial pins such as that shown by numeral 38. Immediately adjacent and in abutting relationship with energizer section 34 is male section 39 of connector assembly 27 which is rigidly secured to sonde sleeve 36 by means of radial pin 41. Alternatively, or in addition to radial pin 41 and locking ring 28, axial bolts may obviously be employed to secure the male and female sections of connector 27 to the components immediately adjacent each other.

In view of the foregoing structural description, it will be readily apparent that the entire test vehicle may be quickly and easily assembled in the following manner. First, antenna section 13, electronic section and battery 16 of fuze assembly 14 are threadedly engaged by each other so as to form a single fuze assembly unit. Sections 13 and 15 are then inserted into nose section 12 such that flange 21 engages radial surface 18 and fuze sleeve 24 is screwed into connector ring 17 whereby the entire fuze assembly 14 is securely held in its proper position. Thereafter, female section 26 of connector assembly 27 is placed in engagement with battery section 16 within fuze sleeve 24 and lock ring 28 is inserted in sleeve 24 to the extent that it bears against and securely holds female section 26 in rigid engagement with the remainder of fuze assembly 14. Concurrently with the above steps, sonde sleeve 36 is secured to base 33 by means such as pin 38 and the components of the sonde are inserted within sleeve 36, whereupon, male section 39 of connector assembly 27 is also inserted within sleeve 36 and secured thereto as by means of pin 41. It will therefore be apparent that the construction of the fuze assembly 14 and the sonde assembly 31 is well suited to assembly line methods which may be carried out concurrently and independently of each other. Thus, the final assembly step merely requires the placement of a suitable sealing ring 42 in groove 43 followed by the threaded engagement of sonde assembly 31 into vehicle casing 11 by means of threaded portions 44 and 45 located on base 33 and vehicle casing 11 respectively. Simultaneously, the entire fuze assembly 14 including fuze sleeve 24 is threadedly engaged in the forward portion of vehicle casing 11 by means of threaded portions 25 and 47 of sleeve 24 and casing 11 respectively. It should also be noted that sonde sleeve 36 extends forwardly of the male portion 39 of connector 27 and that the aft end of fuze sleeve 24 is provided with a chamfered edge 48 whereby edge 48 contacts the forward extremity of sleeve 36 before either of fuze assembly 14 or sonde assembly 31 begin to threadedly engage casing 11. In this manner the two assemblies are axially aligned and guided into proper interfitting relationship upon the rotation and axial translation of the two assemblies as they are threaded into opposite ends of casing 11.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that connector assembly 27 must be capable of providing electrical connection between fuze assembly 14 and sonde assembly 31, and that such electrical connection must be made and maintained throughout the rotational and axial movement of the assemblies relative to one another during the fabrication of the test vehicle as well as at all times thereafter and particularly throughout the period of flight of the vehicle during which time the vehicle is spinning about its longitudinal axis and constantly changing its orientation throughout its trajectory. In addition, it must be remembered that the vehicle is expendable after only one flight and therefore the connector assembly must be made as inexpensively as possible. Furthermore, since there is a tremendous variety of various size shells as well as various size missile casings, it is highly desirable to have a connector which is standardized and therefore interchangeable for use with any one of the test vehicles. Therefore, in order to achieve these desirable results, the subject invention further includes the particular coaxial connector 27 which will now be described in detail with particular reference to its environment as shown in FIG. 1.

Each of male and female sections 39 and 26 is respectively provided with base portions 49 and 51 which may be conveniently composed of wood or plastic or other inexpensive, electrically non-conductive material. As further shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each of base portions 49 and 51 is provided with a plurality of annular surface portions of varying diameter. To these annular surface portions are secured a plurality of contact rings such as the four shown and designated by numerals 52, 52', 53 and 53'. Since the number of electrical channels which are required for various fuze assemblies varies from 2 to 3 according to the test intended, an additional annular stepped surface is provided on each of male and female base members 49 and 51 whereby an additional set of contact rings 54, 54' may be secured to the connectors in the event that an additional channel is required for a particular test operation. As further shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each of the contact rings is secured to its corresponding annular surface of the respective base portions by means of small screws, brads, or radial pins as shown by numerals 55, 56 and 57 respectively. It should also be noted that each of rings 52, 53', and 54' is provided with axially extended slots, the purpose of which will be more fully apparent from the following description.

Referring now to FIG. 2, it will be seen that base 49 is provided with a central threaded bore 59 which receives threaded stud portion 61 of expandable jack member 62. In order to provide an electrical binding post to jack 62, an annular washer 63 having a tab portion 64 is positioned around stud 61 and clamped against base 49 by locking nut 65 which also serves to axially lock the jack 62 in position. A plurality of enlarged bores such as those shown by numerals 66 and 66' are provided in the aft end surface of a base 51. Contact cups 67 and 67' having leads 68, 68' are inserted therein and secured in position as by screws 69, 69. The opposite ends of leads 68 and 68' may be conveniently connected to tab portion 64 and the interior surface of contact ring 52 thereby providing electrical contact between the rings and cups 67, 67 Similarly, additional contact cups are provided for connection to contact rings 53 and 54.

Reference to FIG. 3 shows the connection of contact rings 52', 53, and 54' to be identical to that just described. FIG. 3 further shows jack receptor 71 as being threadedly engaged in bore 72 and secured therein by lock nut 73 and radial pin 74.

Referring back to FIG. 1, it will be apparent that contact caps 67, 67' are engaged by suitable male projections 76 extending forwardly of section 35, and similarly, contact caps 75, 75 are engaged by projections extending from battery section 16. Thus, electrical connection is maintained between electronic section 35 and male connector portion 39 as well as between section 16 and female connector portion 26 so that, in the final assembly step, fuze assembly 14 including female connector 26 is threaded into the forward end of casing 11 at the same time as sonde assembly 31 is threaded into the aft end of casing l 1. In this manner, concentric rings 52, 53', 54 and jack 62 are automatically received in and frictionally contacted by mating rings 52, 53, 54 and receptor 71 which allow relative rotation and axial translation of both assemblies relative to each other.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the disclosed structure and assembly method provides an exceptionally simple and rugged test vehicle which is found to be further advantageous in that expandable jack 62 and slit rings 52', 53', 54 tend to expand radially upon spinning of the projectile throughout its flight and thereby insure positive electrical contact between assemblies 14 and 31 at all times. Thus, it will be apparent that the subject invention provides a new and improved test vehicle structure which may be easily and quickly assembled and which affords positive electrical contact between the fuze assembly and the sonde assembly without the need for the laborious and unreliable potting method previously required.

Of course, it should be understood that the foregoing disclosure relates to only a preferred embodiment of the subject invention and that numerous modifications and or alterations may obviously be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth hereinafter in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed 1. In combination; an aeorodynamically-shaped casing having forward and aft ends, a central bore in said casing extending from said aft to said forward end, a fuze assembly secured in said forward end and having a portion thereof extending into said central bore, a radio sonde assembly secured in said aft end and having a portion thereof extending into said central bore, a coaxial, multichannel connector positioned entirely within said casing and being electrically connected to both of said assemblies, said multichannel connector including a first male portion having an electrically non-conductive base member with oppositely facing surfaces, a central, radially expandable plug-in type jack secured to said base member and extending from one of said surfaces, a set of concentric rings secured to said base member and extending from said one surface, terminal means secured to the other of said base member surfaces, and means for individually connecting said jack and each of said rings to said terminal means, and a second female portion including a nonconductive base member having two oppositely facing surfaces, a centrally located receptacle for receiving said jack opening to one of said surfaces, a set of concentric, axially slotted, annular rings secured to said female base member and extending from said one surface, terminal means secured to the other of said female base member surfaces, and means for individually connecting said receptacle and each of said last-named rings to said last-named terminal means, whereby, upon frictional engagement of said jack with said receptacle and each of said rings of said male set with the rings of said female set, a plurality of electrical paths are established between said male terminal means and said female terminal means thereby allowing communication of signals generated by said fuze assembly to said sonde assembly and telemetered therefrom, and upon rotation of said casing about the longitudinal axis thereof, said expandable jack and said rings of said female set are urged radially outward by the centrifugal force of the rotation and into increased frictional contact with said receptacle and said rings of said male set, respectively.

2. In combination, an aerodynamically-shaped casing having a central bore extending therethrough from a forward end to an aft end thereof and including internally threaded portions at each of said ends, a fuze assembly including a hollow-nose section having an internally threaded portion and a radially extending internal face, a fuze having a radially extending flange which abuts said radial face, and a threaded sleeve having one end abutting said flange and threadedly engaging the internal threads of said nose section and said forward end of said casing for securing said fuze assembly in said forward end with a portion thereof extending into said central bore, a radio sonde assembly threadedly engaging the internal threads of said aft end of said casing and having a portion thereof extending into said central bore, a coaxial, multichannel connector positioned entirely within said casing and being electrically connected to both of said assemblies, said multichannel connector including a first male portion having an electrically non-conductive base member with oppositely facing surfaces, a central, radially expandable plug-in type jack secured to said base member and extending from one of said surfaces, a set of concentric rings secured to said base member and extending from said one surface, terminal means secured to the other of said base member surfaces, and means for individually connecting said jack and each of said rings to said terminal means, and a second female portion including a nonconductive base member having two oppositely facing surfaces, a centrally located receptacle for receiving said jack opening to one of said surfaces, a set of concentric, axially slotted annular rings secured to said female base member and extending from said one surface, terminal means secured to the other of said female base member surfaces, and means for individually connecting said receptacle and each of said last-named rings to said last-named terminal means, whereby, upon frictional engagement of said jack with said receptacle and each of said rings of said male set with the rings of said female set, a plurality of electrical paths are established between said male terminal means and said female terminal means thereby allowing communication of signals generated by said fuze assembly to said sonde assembly and telemetered therefrom, and upon rotation of said coaxial connector about said axis, said expandable jack and said rings of said female set are urged radially outward and into increased frictional contact with said receptacle and said rings of said male set, respectively.

tor portions is located within said fuze sleeve and rigidly secured to said fuze.

5. The combination of claim 3 wherein said sonde sleeve extends forwardly beyond the forward end of said sonde, and wherein the other of said male and female connector portions is located within said sonde sleeve and rigidly secured to said sonde. 

1. In combination; an aeorodynamically-shaped casing having forward and aft ends, a central bore in said casing extending from said aft to said forward end, a fuze assembly secured in said forward end and having a portion thereof extending into said central bore, a radio sonde assembly secured in said aft end and having a portion thereof extending into said central bore, a coaxial, multichannel connector positioned entirely within said casing and being electrically connected to both of said assemblies, said multichannel connector including a first male portion having an electrically non-conductive base member with oppositely facing surfaces, a central, radially expandable plugin type jack secured to said base member and extending from one of said surfaces, a set of concentric rings secured to said base member and extending from said one surface, terminal means secured to the other of said base member surfaces, and means for individually connecting said Jack and each of said rings to said terminal means, and a second female portion including a nonconductive base member having two oppositely facing surfaces, a centrally located receptacle for receiving said jack opening to one of said surfaces, a set of concentric, axially slotted, annular rings secured to said female base member and extending from said one surface, terminal means secured to the other of said female base member surfaces, and means for individually connecting said receptacle and each of said last-named rings to said last-named terminal means, whereby, upon frictional engagement of said jack with said receptacle and each of said rings of said male set with the rings of said female set, a plurality of electrical paths are established between said male terminal means and said female terminal means thereby allowing communication of signals generated by said fuze assembly to said sonde assembly and telemetered therefrom, and upon rotation of said casing about the longitudinal axis thereof, said expandable jack and said rings of said female set are urged radially outward by the centrifugal force of the rotation and into increased frictional contact with said receptacle and said rings of said male set, respectively.
 2. In combination, an aerodynamically-shaped casing having a central bore extending therethrough from a forward end to an aft end thereof and including internally threaded portions at each of said ends, a fuze assembly including a hollow-nose section having an internally threaded portion and a radially extending internal face, a fuze having a radially extending flange which abuts said radial face, and a threaded sleeve having one end abutting said flange and threadedly engaging the internal threads of said nose section and said forward end of said casing for securing said fuze assembly in said forward end with a portion thereof extending into said central bore, a radio sonde assembly threadedly engaging the internal threads of said aft end of said casing and having a portion thereof extending into said central bore, a coaxial, multichannel connector positioned entirely within said casing and being electrically connected to both of said assemblies, said multichannel connector including a first male portion having an electrically non-conductive base member with oppositely facing surfaces, a central, radially expandable plug-in type jack secured to said base member and extending from one of said surfaces, a set of concentric rings secured to said base member and extending from said one surface, terminal means secured to the other of said base member surfaces, and means for individually connecting said jack and each of said rings to said terminal means, and a second female portion including a non-conductive base member having two oppositely facing surfaces, a centrally located receptacle for receiving said jack opening to one of said surfaces, a set of concentric, axially slotted annular rings secured to said female base member and extending from said one surface, terminal means secured to the other of said female base member surfaces, and means for individually connecting said receptacle and each of said last-named rings to said last-named terminal means, whereby, upon frictional engagement of said jack with said receptacle and each of said rings of said male set with the rings of said female set, a plurality of electrical paths are established between said male terminal means and said female terminal means thereby allowing communication of signals generated by said fuze assembly to said sonde assembly and telemetered therefrom, and upon rotation of said coaxial connector about said axis, said expandable jack and said rings of said female set are urged radially outward and into increased frictional contact with said receptacle and said rings of said male set, respectively.
 3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said sonde assembly includes a radio sonde and a sleeve surrounding and secured to said sonde, said sleeve having an external threaded portion which engages said aft and threaded portion of said central bore.
 4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said fuze sleeve extends rearwardly beyond the aft end of said fuze, and wherein one of said male and female connector portions is located within said fuze sleeve and rigidly secured to said fuze.
 5. The combination of claim 3 wherein said sonde sleeve extends forwardly beyond the forward end of said sonde, and wherein the other of said male and female connector portions is located within said sonde sleeve and rigidly secured to said sonde. 